Page 107 of Falling Overboard

By this point I was sweating and shaking. “That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”

“But you did it. I hope you feel proud of yourself.”

“I do, but sad at the same time.”

“Which is totally valid,” he said. I was grateful that he had let me work this out on my own.

“I also feel a little sick.”

“Sometimes that’s how it feels when you do the right thing.”

I turned my face and buried it against his throat. “I’m just worried that they’re going to go out and try to find some sugar daddy or something.”

“Hopefully they won’t. But now they know you won’t be their sugar sister any longer.”

I let out a little laugh and stayed there nestled against him for a few minutes longer while he soothingly stroked my hair.

“We better get to work,” I said.

“Yep. Back to the grind until we can come back here and be alone together again.”

I kissed his neck and we both got out of bed. I got ready first and headed out to the galley in search of coffee before I spent my day making sure the ship was completely perfect.

And hours later, I had done the best job that I could. Georgia had helped tremendously, while Emilie hid in the laundry room, doing very little.

Then it was time for the guests to join us. Everyone changed into their whites and went to the aft deck to wait for their arrival.

Hunter was the last one to come up and he grinned at me. “What’s all this comm-ocean a-boat?”

“You just sound Canadian,” I told him, and he laughed. I felt Emilie’s gaze on me, and if she’d had any superpowers at all, she would have bored two holes into my head with her heat vision.

“Who do we have this week?” he asked. “Crypto jerks? Russian mafia? Head of the UN?”

“The new owners. The Cartwrights.”

His face fell just as we heard voices coming up the passerelle. The Cartwrights had arrived.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him.

“I will explain everything later,” he said.

Something strange was going on, but I couldn’t ask him about it here.

The Cartwrights were a middle-aged couple, but in that rich way where they didn’t actually look like they were in their fifties. They had their two teen girls with them, Hadley and Harlow, both of whom were on their phones.

The captain was shaking Mr. Cartwright’s hand. “Pleasure to have you aboard, Mr. Cartwright, Dr. Cartwright.”

“Thank you, Captain. And please call me Hank. This is my wife, Susan, and our daughters.”

They all greeted the captain and then moved down the line and introduced themselves to each crewmember. When they got to Hunter, Hank reached out his hand. “Good to see you, son.”

Hunter shook his hand. “Dad.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Lucky

Dad?

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